A new brain map charts the way sensory information is routed between olfactory-processing areas of the brain.
Olfactory dysfunction can have both physical and social consequences, in addition to influencing food intake and weight. Researchers say foods that stimulate other chemical senses when consumed, such as chili or menthol, can improve life quality for those with olfactory dysfunction.
The olfactory system works in combination with the brain's reward and aversion systems in both learning and memory formation.
Small changes in a single olfactory receptor gene can affect how strong, or how pleasant, a person finds a particular odor.
Those with alexithymia, a psychological condition in which people have difficulty in the emotions they are experiencing, may also have an altered physiological response to olfactory stimulation, researchers report.
A new study reports that people can have remarkably different reactions to the same smell, depending on their cultural background.
According to a new study, each of us has a unique 'olfactory fingerprint' which can also help with early diagnosis of certain neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers discover as much as 30% of the larger array of human olfactory receptors differ between individuals.
